Check protector



C.H.EPPLE CHECK PROTECTOR Filed Dec. 20, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l 2,5 i j12!. 2 35 I a 1 v a! INVENTOR. E1 CARL HEPPLE- 0 FIG. 10 o ATTORNEYS.

June 10, 1930. c. H, EPPLE 1,753,392

CHECK PROTECTOR Filed Dec. 20, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS.

June 10, 1930. c. H. EPPLE 1,763,392

CHECK PROTECTOR Filed Dec. 20, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 9 INVENTOR. CARLHEPP E.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 10, 1930 1 1,763,392

dUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARL H. EPPLE, F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA CHECKPROTECTOR Application Med December 20, 1924. Serial No. 757,272.

My invention is a check protector of the view from the front with thefront plate retype in which the numerals are printed on a moved. checkon both sides anda visible register is Figure 4 is a partial transversesection of kept of the total of the checks so printed. Figures 1 and 2on the line 44 in the direc- 5 An object of my invention is to encaseall tion of the arrows and viewed from the rear,

the printing and a registering mechanism in illustrating the endlessupper inking ribbon a housing in which it cannot be tampered with andthe singlelower ribbon.

by an unauthorized person. Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 4.

The printing is done by placing the check Figure 6 is a partial sectionof Figure 1 on ,1 p11 ferably face down on a platen and strikthe line6-6 looking in the direction of the ing with the proper type fromunderne th, arrows, showing the operation of the escape- An inked ribbonor the like is provided to merit f r moving the check carriage.

cause an inking of the numerals or other des- Figure 7 is a section ofFigure 6 on the ignation on the back of the check. In the line 77.

1 printing operation a register is automatical- Figure Sis a section ofFigure 9 on the line g 40 Figure 1 is a plan view of my check prolyoperated by a system in which the keys 88 showing a cross section of theregisterrepresenting the higher numerals have a ing discs.

longer stroke than the keys of the lower nu- Figure 9 is a verticalsection of Figure 8 on menus-that is the numeral 9 has a stroke the line9-9 showing a partial longitudinal nine times as much as the numeral 1,and in ction of the registering discs, and 3 such movement operates arotating register Figure 10 is a fragmentary detail of the nine timesthe distance of the numeral 1. ype lever actuating mechanism.

In the specific embodiment of my invention The general assembly is asfollows: the 2f the dollar, zero and numerals give a spacing front,back, left and right sides of the casing by moving the carriage holdingthe check or housing are indicated by the numerals 1,

through an escapement mechanism, and back 2, 3 and 4 respectively basedon the base 5, spacers are provided giving either a one or the key board6 and the printing platen 7 two back space. The numeral keys 9, periodkey 8, zero key 16 Another feature of my invention is the and dollar key17 are conveniently situated at 30 provision of an endless inking ribbonsupt front of the ey board and operate & P 9

ported to impress the printing on the back of 111g mechanism 10 strikingthrough the inkthe cheek, ing device 11 against the check held in theThis application is a continuation in part of f g Oh the platen A p gmechmy application, Serial Number 622,831, filed anism 13 is operated bythe numerals and the M M h 5 1923 f a h k t t dollar and zero keys. Theback spacer 14 is f" My invention will be more clearly undercontrolled ytwo y 9 106 glvlhg elthel' stood from the accompanying drawings, and aSingle a double h P T humerspecification, in which: al keys operate areglstering devlce 15 showing visible numerals. The rinting mechanism,with s ecial ref- .tectqr the top plates Shown erence to the typeaction, will fi st be dem lilgme 2 .omltte scribed as follows; attentionbeing partic- B figure 2 1S a longitudmal vertufal siectlon ularlydirected to Figures 1, 2 and 3 The zero of B lgure 1 the hue lookmg mthe and dollar keys 16 and 17 have stems 18 each direction of thearrows, which is substantialbeing pivotallv Secured to one end f one f ya Side View with the right hand side Plate the long key levels 19. Theother ends of said Omittedlevers are pivotally mounted on the back plateFigure 3 is a vertical transverse section of 2, and are normallyelevated by tension 5 Figure 1 on the line 3-3 looking in the disprings19 one end of said springs being serection of the arrows and issubstantially a cured to the plate 2; levers 19 are connected by links20 to short type levers 21, which are pivoted in a curved frame 22secured to the key board 6. These type levers are connected to the typelinks 23, which through the usual type of pivotal mounting operate thetype bars 25 by the usual bell crank construction 24, clearly shown inFigure 10. The period, zero and dollar type operating levers and linksare shown in Figure 1, with the dol la P type bar shown dottedinstriking position. This group is shown at the right slightly separatefrom the numeral group of type bars.

The numeral type bars are operated in a somewhat different manner. keys9, as will be seen from Figure 3, are of different heights and havestems 26 of vary ing length passing through a stepped block 27, andcontacting with a. spacing bar 28 which will be hereafter described.Each stem 26 is frictionally retained in its upper position by frictionsprings 26 secured to the key board 6, and has rigidly secured thereto acollar 29 which contacts with the steps of block 27 and in its downwardmovement engages printing stems 30, one of which extends upwardlythrough each step of the block 27. Said printing stem 30 is disposed toone side of the stem 26 and below the collar 29to be pressed downwardlythereby, as shown in Figure 2. These printing stems 80 are connected tothe long key levers 19 and operate type bars 25 in a manner similar tothat above described for the dollar, zero and period group. It will benoted that the short type levers 21 are of varying lengths. Both ends ofthe short type levers 21 form an are as shown in Figure 1.

The inking mechanism operated by the striking type bars is as follows,having reference particularly to Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5 the lower ribbon31 is wound on the driven friction spool and on a finger operated spool33, the periphery of which projects through an aperture 34 in theprinting platen 7. The friction spool is driven by a worm wheel 35 whichis intermittently operated by the worm 36 on the worm shaft 37, ashereafter described. There is sufiicient friction by any suitable meansbetween the spool 32 and the worm wheel to give a forward drive and yetto allow the ribbon to be re-wound on the spool 33 by the linger. Theribbon 31 is held in a recess 38 in the printing platen 7 by means oflingers 39 suitably secured to the un der part of the platen, as shownin Figures 4 and 5.

The upper endless ribbon 40 is supported by a bracket 41 carrying therigid frame 42, spaced above the top of the platen 7. A worm wheel 43 ismounted in the frame to engage the worm and by a suitable spool 44drives the ribbon 40 over the idler spool 45 at the opposite end of theframe 42. An inking pad 46 is held in the frame in any suitable mannerto contact either with the ribbon or the loose The numeral spool or withboth. A suitable striking platen 47 for the type bars is formed ofvulcanized rubber or the like suitably held in the frame 42.

The carriage for holding and moving the check to be printed isconstructed as follows, referring particularly to Figures 3, 4 and 5:the platen 7 has two parallel longitudinal grooves 48 extending on bothsides of the inking device 11 at the right hand end, as shown in Figures4 and 5, and longitudinal slots 49, forming a slide for the carriage 50,which has short studs 52 extending through the slots and. connecting, toa lower transverse bar 51 to which is secured an operating elbow 53whose connection with the carriage moving device is hereafter described;Arms 54 connected to the carriage slide in the grooves 48, and areprovided with spring clips 55 to engage the check being printed, asshown in Figure 5. The carriage is moved from right to left so that thedenominations printed will come in the proper position, but as Figures 4and 5are views from the rear end, the carriage is shown moving from'leftto right.

The main spacing mechanism connected to the carriage is as follows,havingrreference-to Figures 1, 2 and 3: a spacingshaft 56 has a journal57 at the back 2and a bearing bracket 58 connected to the key board 6. Atension drum 59 is keyed, to the spacing shaft and carries a cable 60attached to-a tension spring 61 secured to the side 3. Said: drum tendstoturn thespacingshaft in a clockwise-direction, looking at it inthedirection of the arrows 3 in Figure 1, and it is given a step by stepmovement in the clockwise direction by an escapement mechanism hereafterdescribed. A gear 62 keyed on the shaft 56 is meshed with a rack 63sliding in a suitable bracket 64 and has a guide 56611165 slidingthrough a support 66 at theinner end of the bracket. The rack supportsan adjust able arm-67 which has a yoke 68 at its upper end to engage theoperating elbow 53 of. the carriage 50. In this construction thecarriage is moved to.- wards the side 3 in accordance with the clockwise turning of the shaft 56 andtowards the side 4' on the back spacinganti-clockwise turning of the saidshaft.

The forward spacing as operated by the numeral keys is as follows: themain spacing levers 69 are pivoted atTO on the sides 3 and 4 and carry afront cross frame 71 supporting the spacing bar 28. As above describedthe numeral key stems 26'contact with-the spacing bar at their lowerends, preferably by buttons 72, and depress the spacing bar and spacinglever 69 different distances for each key. This movement, however, onlycauses a single spacing for each numeral through the special escapementmechanism hereinafter described. Each spacing lever 69 isurged upwardlyby a spring 73 tensioned between the spacing lever and a pin 7 4 on thesides 3 and 4. A vertical link having a slot 76 engaging a pin 77 isconnected at its upper end to an escapement lever 78 by a in 79. Adownward motion of the numeral eys therefore oscillates the escapementlever 78 downwardly, as shown in F i ure 2.

The escapement mechanism is as follows, having particular reference toFigures 6 and 7 the escapementlever 78 is normally drawn upwardly by aspring 80 tensioned between the lever and a pin 80' on the side 4 andengages in its upper position a stop block 81 in the side 4. 'Itoscillates an escapement pawl 82 adjustably secured on a rock shaft 83suitably mounted on a transverse bracket 84 on the side 4. The spacingshaft 56 carries an are shaped escapement rack 85 having two sets ofteeth 86 and 87 slightly staggered in relation to each other. When thepawl 82 is swung to the right, as shown in Figure 7, it releases thetooth 86 and engages the tooth 87 on the down stroke of the key. Whenthe key is released the pawl 82 disengages the teeth 87 and engages theteeth 86, the rack 85 being given a slight rotary movement due to thetension of the spring 61 connecting through the tension drum 59.

It will thus be seen that it requires a down and an up stroke of thespacing mechanism to space from one tooth to the other of the teeth 86.Although the spacing bar 28 is depressed different distances accordingto the numeral, the pawl 82 can never become disengaged from the teeth87 at extreme position for the greatest downward movement caused by thenumeral 9 is not sufficient to cause the pawl to disengage both sets ofteeth. During the back spacing the pawl swivels downwardly on its pin 88swinging in a slot 89 and being returned to the position shown in Figure6 by a spring 90, mounted in the pawl carrier 91.

The spacing actuated by thedollar and zero keys is as follows: atransverse spacing lever 92 (Fig. 3) is pivotally mounted on a bracket93 secured to the side 4 and is connected to the long key lever 19 ofthe dollar and zero keys by link 94 and to a second escapement lever 95by a link 96 having a slot 97 engaging a pin 98 on the lever 92. Thedownward press ing of the dollar and zero keys moves the long key lever19 as heretofore described. Said lever 19 moves the link 94 and thespacing lever 92. The pin 98 on said spacing lever engages the lower endof the slot 97 and pulls the link 96 downwardly which, in turn, actuatesthe escapeme'nt lever 95 and the rockshaft 83; The pawl 82 is oscillatedby said rockshaft 83 as heretofore described. The slot 76 in the link 75and the slot-97 in the link 96 are to allow one of these links freedownward movement when the other is engaged by the corresponding levers69 or 92 that is when the main spacing bar 28 is depressed it will notdepress the dollar and zero keys and vice versa.

The ribbon feed is operated by the main spacing bar 28 as follows,reference being had particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 4: a pinion 99keyed on worm shaft 37 is rotated intermittently through the medium ofthe gear 100 rotatin on a stud 101 secured to the side A rib onactuating lever 102 is pivoted to the stud 101 and carries a springpressed pawl 103 into engagement with the teeth of the gear 100. A link104 connects the left hand main spacing lever 69 and the ribbonactuating lever 102, and thus when the spacing bar 28 is depressed byany of the numeral keys it partially rotates the gear 100 and the pinion99, thereby driving the worm shaft 37, worm 36, worm wheels 35 and 43,and thereby actuating the band ribbon 31 and the endless ribbon 40. Theribbon will be moved variable distances depending on which numeral keyis depressed, but this is immaterial so far as the operation isconcerned.

The back spacing mechanism is as follows: Spacing keys 105 and 106 aredisposed above the keyboard 6, and are secured to the ends of stems 107.The stem of the key 105 is twice as long as the stem of the key 106.Back spacing levers 108 are pivoted on the shaft 56. Spacing ratchets109 and 110 are keyed to the shaft 56, each being adjacent to one of thelevers 108. A pawl 112 is pivotally mounted on each spacing lever as at113, so as to engage the ratchets 109 and 110. An arm 111 extends fromeach pawl 112 above the pivot point 113 thereof and the end thereof isheld in contact with the bottom of the respective stems 107, by means ofa spring 114, one end of which is secured to the keyboard 6. A pin 115protrudes from the side of the lever 108, opposite said pawl and isengaged thereby when the pawl is withdrawn from the ratchet by theaction of the tension spring 114, thereby turning said lever 108upwardly. Said latter turning movement of the lever and the pawl. movesthe stem 107, which movement is limited by a collar 116 secured to saidstem and abutting against said keyboard 6.

The back spacer operates as follows: WVhen the key 106 is depressed thestem 107 moves the arm 111, thereby moves the pawl 112 into engagementwith the ratchet 110. Further downward movement of the stem 107 turnsthe lever 108 downwardly, thereby rotates the ratchet 110 and the shaft56 against the turning action of the tension drum 59. The turning of theshaft 56, and the gear 62 causes the rack 63 and the carriage 50 to movetowards the wall 4. As the key 105 has twice the movement of the key106, it rotates the spacing shaft 56 twice the amount.

The back spacing mechanisms operated by each of keys 105 and 106 aresubstantially similar, key 105 being provided for the purpose ofenabling a double spacing of the I carriage to" be efiected by a singlemanual operation. 2

The operation of the printing mechanism as a whole may be brieflydescribed follows: presuming that the carriage is stationary in itsextreme left position as shown in Figure 1. or the right as shown inFigures & and 5 it is in position to receive a check for printing.Presuming this to be for $1.79 the double spacing key would be pressedtwice thereby moving the carriage four spaces to the right. the dollarsign would be printed which requires a space, the numeral one would thenbe printed, which requires a spac the period would then be printed,which does not give a space, the seven would be printed actuating aspace and the nine printed, completing the number. The machine asillustrated can be designed to print any desired amount merely dependingupon the length of the carriage slide and the rack governing this slide.

In the printingoperation the type carried by the type bars strikeupwardly against the lower ribbon 31 and print directly on the face ofthe check which is faced down on the platen 7 and an inked printing isformed on the back, due to the inked ribbon &0 between the back of thecheck and the striking platen 4:7.

The registering mechanism to indicate the total amount of the checksprinted is as follows, having reference particularly to Fig ures 1, 2,3. 8 and 9; this mechanism is substantially the same as shown in myco-pend ing application above mentioned, the registering discs being ofsimilar construction. registering gear 117 is slidably mounted on asquare shaft 118 having fixed journals in the side 3 and the frame 119secured to the key board 6. The shaft 118 carries a fixed gear 120adjacent the side 3 which meshes with a large adding gear 121 suitablyjournaled to the side 3 on the stud 122; a spring pressed pawl 123 iscarried by a pawl lever 12& swivelled on the stud 122. which lever isactuated by a link 125 connected to the left hand spacing lever 69.

The registering gear 117 has a collar 126 in which is engaged a verticalyoke 127 carried by a sleeve-128 sliding on a rod 129 mounted in theframe 119. A bar 130 extends from the yoke 127 to a rack 131 which issupported by a bracket 132 on the side & in mesh with a denominationgear 133 keyed on spacing shaft 56. By this construction when thespacing shaft is operated moving the carriage from the right to theleft, as shown in Figure 1, the recording gear 117 is also moved fromright to left. It is likewise moved in the back spacing through themedium of the keys 105 and 106 simultaneously with the carriage Theregistering discs and their immediate actuating mechanism aresubstantially the same as shown in my co-pending application abovementioned. and are constructed as follows, having reference particularlyto Figures 2, 8 and 9. A fixed shaft 13& is mounted in a. registercarrying frame 135 supported by the frame 119 and carries a plurality ofsleeves 136 one over the other, with gears 137 on each sleeve at theirright hand end, as shown. In Figures 1, 3 and 9 the sleeves carryregistering discs 138 each bearing numerals 0 to 9. The discs 138 arespaced by stationary plates 139 supported by the register carrying frame135. Ten holes 1&0 are formed in one side of each of the discs 138, ahole below each number on each disc. A juxtaposed face of the adjacentdisc to the right has a pin 1&1 carried by a cam 1&1 in a set let 3 andis pressed against the face of the stationary plate 139 by means of aspring 1&1 in said socket during the rotation of the disc until thedepressed cam surface 1&2 in the plate is reached. The cam surface 1&2is so formed that while the cam 1&1 rides the full length thereof, thepin 1&1 carried by said cam riees in the slot 1&3 and in engagement withone of the holes 1&0 in the adjoining disc 138, and rotates said discone-tenth of a turn. The cam surface is so curved adjacent to the end ofthe slot 1&3, that it elevates the cam 1&1 sufiiciently high to withdrawthe pin 1&1 from the slot 1&3, whereupon the pin 1&1 will ride upon thecurved cam surface and will press the cam into said socket 1&5.compressing the spring 1&&. The pin will then ride a full revolutionwith the first disc and on the face of the stationary plate 139 beforeit engages the succeeding hole of said adjoin ing disc. Thus a disc of alower denomination in one complete revolution rotates the adjacent discof the next higher denomination one-tenth of a turnthat is one numeral.The discs are frictionally retained from ro tat-ion unless positivelydriven by the gear 117 meshing with any one of the sleeve gears 137 by adetent arrangement (see Figure 2). The register frame 135 carries aseries of levers 1&6 having det-ents 1&7 pressed against the teeth ofthe gears 137 by the compression springs 1&8.

The operation of the registering mechanism above described is asfollows, presuming the check is being printed as above mentioned for$1.79. The spacing shaft 56 through the medium of the denomination gear133 and rack 131 positions the recording gear 117 in mesh with thefourth sleeve gear 137 from the left. as shown in Figure 1. The markingof the dollar, zero or period sign does not operate the register as thisis only actuated through movement of the spacing bar 28. The depressingof the numeral 1 will depress the spacing bar what may be designated asa unitary distance until the collar 29 on the stem 26 contacts with theupper step. This rotates the gear 121 through the meoium numeral key 1spaces the carnage as described of the pawl 123 what may be designated aunitary distance rotating the gear 120 and shaft 118 a unitary distance,thus the dollar register disc 138 is rotated one-tenth of a turn-that isone digit. The depression of above. The 7 numeral key depresses thespacing bar seven times as much as the one key-that is until its collar29 contacts with the seventh step and the gear 117 meshing with the tenssleeve gear 137 rotates the tens disc 138 seven-tenths of a turn-that isthrough the space of seven digits.

The printing of this numeral shifts the carriage and gear 117 into meshwith the units disc gear 137; depressing the numeral 9 acts in the samemanner turning the units register nine digits. It will be noted thateach numeral key rotates the gear 121 and 120 various multiples of the 1key. As the lower denomination disc automatically carries the highdenomination one digit for each complete turn, the machine automaticallyregisters the total of the checks printed and registered.

No mechanism has been shown for back spacing the register, and it is notintended to do so, but to shown a cumulative re 'ster, the total of thechecks printed each ay being determined b subtracting the former from alater recor The machine as shown can register up to $999.99, when itwill repeat.

The platen 7 is preferably hinged to the key board 6 as at 155, shown inFigure 2 and may be elevated to supply a new ribbon 31 and to clean thekeys, etc. This platen would preferably be locked to the back 2. It willthus be seen that all the operating mechanism is encased and locked.

While I have shown but one form of my check protector, it is capable ofconsiderable modification within the scope of the invention as evidencedby the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A check protector and register comprising in combination a printingmechanism having type bars, a stepped guide block, type operating stemsslidable therein, an operative connection from the stems to the typebars, a plurality of numeral keys having stems extending through thestepped block, collars on said numeral stems to engage the typeoperating stems, said type operating stems having a fixed travel for allthe stems, and the numeral stems having a variable travel in accordancewith the indication of the numeral, and means actuated by the numeralstems to operate the register.

2. A check protector and register comprising numeral keys arranged instepped relation and having a variable travel proportional to the valueof the numeral, vertical stems on said keys, collars on said stemsarranged in horizontal relation, stepped stems adapted to be moved bysaid collars through a constant vertical distance to actuate a printingmechanism, and register mechanism including a lever adapted to be movedthrough different angles proportional to the travel of said numeralkeys.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a set of numeral keys,slidable stems on said keys, a stepped block to limit the movement ofsaid keys according to the respective values thereof, a bar adapted tobe moved by said stems through varying distances, a plurality ofregistering discs, nested sleeves for actuating said discs, and a gearfixed to each of said sleeves and adapted to be actuated by the movementof said bar.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CARL H. EPPLE.

